The Shadow House(85)

I stopped, my skin suddenly tingling.

I studied the crowd again, paying more attention this time. I scrutinised every small group, counting heads, checking faces. Everyone was there, everyone except …

And then I saw them. Layla, Violet and Amy, standing together outside the hall, Layla in a dressing-gown, the girls wearing pyjamas. Violet was clearly agitated, her eyes bouncing around from person to person, just like mine. When she caught sight of Ollie, her face lit up and she broke into a run, charging at him and almost knocking him down with the force of her hug. He grinned into her hair and my heart melted a little bit. But then it hardened again as I looked back at Layla. Her arm was, as usual, wrapped securely around Amy’s skinny shoulders, her face tight with anxiety. My stomach lurched as I tripped over a tangle of realisations and fell into the truth – or a part of it, at least.

‘Listen,’ said Kit at my back. ‘When this is all over and we’ve had some sleep, would you and the kids like to come to mine for some breakfast? I do a mean bowl of Weet-Bix.’

‘Um, sure,’ I said, vaguely. ‘We love Weet-Bix.’

‘You don’t sound so sure about that.’

‘No, I am – I mean, yes, that sounds good.’ I glanced back over my shoulder to where Ollie stood with Violet, their heads already bowed over a phone screen. Layla watched them from behind, a dark look on her face. ‘Sorry,’ I said, laying my hand on Kit’s shoulder. ‘I just have to go do a thing, okay. Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.’

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to Layla and Amy.

‘Alex,’ she said, pursing her lips as I approached. ‘If you’ve come to talk to me about Oliver, I’m not sure now’s the time.’

‘I agree,’ I said. ‘Let’s find a time to chat about it later. For now, I’d like to talk about the boxes.’

It was a leap in the dark; I wasn’t a hundred per cent certain I was right, and I certainly had no proof. But it was the best theory I had, and I was running with it.

Layla blinked. ‘Like I said, I don’t think it’s the time or the place. If your son would like to apologise for what he did—’

‘Ollie doesn’t have anything to apologise for.’ I looked down. ‘Right, Amy?’

Amy’s eyes were fixed firmly on the floor.

‘What are you talking about?’ Layla said.

Crouching down, I positioned myself in Amy’s sightline. What was it Maggie had said at the meeting that day? I have gifts for everyone. Although the credit should go to our beautiful Pine Ridge kids. I find their creativity so inspiring. If only we adults had even half their imagination, half their belief.

‘Amy,’ I said, gently. ‘I’m so sorry about what happened to you at school. It must’ve been awful for you.’

‘Excuse me?’ Layla spluttered. ‘You have no right to discuss that with her, it’s absolutely none—’

‘None of my business, I know. And I’m sorry to have to bring it up.’ I looked back at Amy. ‘Amy, when did you find out that Ollie was from Ellenhurst?’

She shrugged and tucked her chin into her chest.

‘Was it before we arrived at Pine Ridge?’

She nodded.

‘You saw our information in Kit’s office? On the board?’

Another nod.

‘You check all the families, don’t you? Before they arrive? You check to make sure they’re safe.’

Amy seemed to shrink even further into herself.

‘Listen,’ I said. ‘Ollie is a good kid. He just got mixed up with a bad situation. He would never, ever hurt you.’

She didn’t say anything out loud, but when she looked at me I heard her question clear as a bell. How do you know? In all honesty, I didn’t. Not for sure. But Kit had been right earlier, trust really was about faith. And it was about time I had some in my son.

‘Alex, what are you talking about?’ said Layla.

I waited. ‘Amy?’

When she looked up, Amy’s bottom lip was trembling. ‘I’m really sorry, Mum,’ she said. ‘Please don’t be mad with me.’

‘Oh, love,’ said Layla, kneeling down on the grass and holding her daughter’s hands. ‘Why would I be mad with you?’

‘Because I made those boxes and left them for Ollie. Because I found out he was from Ellenhurst. I knew he’d been kicked out—’

‘Suspended, actually,’ I interjected. ‘Just for the record.’

‘—and then I looked on his Facebook page and there were all these weird videos, and I … I just didn’t want him here.’ She looked angrily at Layla. ‘You said this was a nice place, with nice kids. You said I wouldn’t have to worry anymore about boys who … did that kind of thing.’

‘Amy, honey.’ Layla cupped her palm to Amy’s cheek. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Because I thought you might freak out and move us again. That’s what you did after … after what happened. You pulled me and Vi out of school and brought us here. And Vi hates me for it. She didn’t want to come here, and she blames me, and she’s been such a bitch to me. I was scared that if you moved us again, she would actually kill me. So I … tried to fix it myself.’